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Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology: Official Journal of the Societa Botanica Italiana Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tplb20 The vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill (Piacenza, Italy): Phytosociological and ecological characteristics L. Giupponia, C. Cortia & P. Manfredib a Istituto di Agronomia, Genetica e Coltivazioni Erbacee, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza Site, Italy b M.C.M. Ecosistemi s.r.l., Località Faggiola s.n.c., 29027 Gariga di Podenzano (PC), Italy Accepted author version posted online: 05 Aug 2014.Published online: 08 Aug 2014.

To cite this article: L. Giupponi, C. Corti & P. Manfredi (2014): The vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill (Piacenza, Italy): Phytosociological and ecological characteristics, Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology: Official Journal of the Societa Botanica Italiana, DOI: 10.1080/11263504.2014.945507 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2014.945507

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landﬁll (Piacenza, Italy): Phytosociological and ecological characteristics

L. GIUPPONI1,*, C. CORTI1,**, & P. MANFREDI2,***

1Istituto di Agronomia, Genetica e Coltivazioni Erbacee, Universita` Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza Site, Italy and 2M.C.M. Ecosistemi s.r.l., Localita` Faggiola s.n.c., 29027 Gariga di Podenzano (PC), Italy

Abstract Our study aimed to analyse the vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill in phytosociological and ecological terms, in order to contribute to the current knowledge of the landfill’s vegetation, and to better understand the environmental characteristics of the area, with a view to its restoration. Five vegetation types were identified, all classified into the Stellarietea mediae class that includes annual ruderal communities. Ellenberg’s and Landolt’s indices shed light on the ecological characteristics of all the vegetation and five typologies. The vegetation of the study area indicates a moderately basic, semi-dry soil, rich in nutrients, low in humus and badly aerated. The high therophyte percentage indicates a stressed environment, the main cause of this stress being a marked edaphic aridity during the dry summer months. In these conditions, annual plants, which complete their life cycle in a short time after the spring precipitations, are favoured. Finally, the species variety within the various typologies of vegetation increases with a decrease in the percentage of species tolerating salts and heavy metals in the soil. As a consequence, this suggests a possible contamination of the soil in some of the areas.

Keywords: Cover soil, ecological indices, heavy metals, landﬁll vegetation, phytosociology

Nowadays environmental restoration of the landﬁll ecological characteristics of a particular habitat. top cover is one of the most interesting issues for the Phytosociology is a discipline that studies plant landﬁll managers and the local authorities. Restor- communities, classifying them into a hierarchical ation of degraded areas necessitates the gathering of system of units (syntaxa) whose ecological meaning information regarding environmental characteristics, become more detailed from the highest rank (the such as climatic conditions, soil properties and any class) to the association level (Braun-Blanquet 1979;

Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 disturbances (biotic and abiotic) affecting them, as Loidi 2004; Biondi 2011; Blasi & Frondoni 2011; these properties can influence the growth and the Pott 2011; Yilmaz 2011). Assigning a syntaxonomi- survival of vegetation. Setting the chemical and cal meaning to a phytocoenosis and performing the physical characteristics of the cover soils of the phytosociological releve´s by the ecological indicator landfill is a fundamental activity that requires values will give a picture of landfill sites in terms of expensive analysis whose results are often unsatisfac- environmental conditions and substrate character- tory due to the high spatial variability of these istics. Until now, these techniques of plant ecology properties. For this reason, the study of the have been little applied to the monitoring and vegetation represents a valid alternative method, rehabilitation of landfills, although the results of being quicker, practical and economical. some recently published works (Huber-Humer & Each plant has its own ecological requirements Klug-Pu¨mpel 2004; Klug et al. 2008; Tintner et al. that play a crucial role for its survival and spread. 2008; Tintner & Klug 2011) suggest positive Plants with similar requirements are associated in prospects for the future. communities which repeat themselves where eco- This study aims to identify the different types of logical conditions are the same. As a consequence, vegetation occurring on the Borgotrebbia landfill plant communities provide useful information about (Piacenza, Italy) and to define them in phytosocio-

Correspondence: L. Giupponi, Istituto di Agronomia, Genetica e Coltivazioni Erbacee, Universita` Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza Site, Italy, Tel. þ347 9069751. Email: [email protected]

q 2014 Societa` Botanica Italiana 2 L. Giupponi et al.

Figure 1. Study area.

logical and ecological terms, in order to obtain Emilia-Romagna is phytogeographically localized information as complete as possible on the environ- between the Middle-European Region and the mental conditions of the site in view of a future Mediterranean Region (Tomaselli 1970; Pignatti restoration (Life þ 10 ENV/IT/0400 New Life; 1979); the study area lies at the southern limit of the http://www.lifeplusecosistemi.eu). Ellenberg’s Middle-European Region in temperate continental (1979) indices, readapted from Pignatti (2005), bioclimatic zone (Rivas-Martıńez 2004). The poten- together with Landolt’s (1977) indices updated by tial vegetation would be riparian forests of Populetalia Landolt et al. (2010), were used. These indicator albae Br.-Bl., 1935 in contact with oak-hornbeam values are commonly used to describe environmental woodlands (Ferrari 1997; Puppi et al. 2010), but the conditions (Diekmann 2003; Kollmann & Fischer natural vegetation has almost completely disap- 2003) even though the mathematical treatment of peared due to the intense anthropic activities. their ordinal scale reveals some problems. We also The landfill was active from 1972 to 1985 and intend to contribute to the current knowledge of the was then covered with a layer of soil of various types, vegetation of landfills and for this reason richness in about 50 cm thick. Projects aimed to restore forest species, biodiversity and evenness were calculated for vegetation were realized since 2005, but they had Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 each type of vegetation identified, as they are little success and involved only a small part of the considered important parameters that describe the landfill (localized in the south-western portion). ecological value of a unit of vegetation. Now most of the area is covered by grassland which is occasionally mown or grazed by sheep.

Materials and methods Study area The studied closed landfill is made of municipal solid waste and lies within the administration area of Piacenza city (Emilia-Romagna, Italy) at Borgotreb- bia (coordinates: 458030580 N, 0983900600E; altitude: 60 m; Figure 1). It lies along the hydrographic right bank of the Trebbia River in proximity to its confluence with the Po River and covers an area of about 20 ha. The average annual temperature is 13.38C, and the average annual precipitation amounts to 778 mm. Most of the rain falls during Figure 2. Ombrothermic diagram of Walter and Lieth (1960). the spring and autumn, while there is a water deficit Data source: weather station of San Lazzaro Alberoni (Piacenza), during the warmer summer months (Figure 2). 1961–2005. Vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill 3

Vegetation sampling Fifty-two phytosociological releve´s were realized in the study area in accordance with the method of the Zurigo-Montpellier school (Braun-Blanquet 1964). Each releve´ was georeferenced. The size of the sampling plots was 16 m2 (4 £ 4 m). We used the conventional Braun-Blanquet scale. Species nomenclature follows Conti et al. (2005). Life forms according to Raunkiaer’s (1934) cat- egories follow Pignatti (1982), and it was checked on field, chorological types follow Romani and Alessan- drini (2001). Biological and chorological spectra of the floristic list were elaborated. Syntaxa nomenclature follows the main national and European phytosociological literature (Mucina Figure 3. Biological spectrum of flora list (T, therophytes; H, et al. 1993; Oberdorfer 1993a,b; Matuszkiewicz hemicryptophytes; G, geophytes; P, phanerophytes). 2001; Rivas-Martıńez et al. 2001; Fanelli 2002; Aeschimann et al. 2004; Ubaldi 2008; Landolt et al. 2010; Puppi et al. 2010; Biondi et al. 2013;). was also drawn up using ArcGIS 10 software In particular, the synoptic scheme of Landolt et al. (wEsri). In order to mark the boundary of the (2010) is followed. vegetation spots, air photographs were taken from the Emilia-Romagna web site (http://geoportale. regione.emilia-romagna.it/it) and used together Data analysis with geosupplied polygons on field. The vegetation data were organized in a matrix (31 £ surveys 90 species) in which the values of the Results coverage were transformed according to Van der Maaler (1979). The data matrix was analysed using In the study area, 90 species were observed. The statistical multivariate programs from the Syn-tax 2000 average number of species for each releve´ was 14. package (Podani 2001). Cluster analysis was per- Figures 3 and 4 show, respectively, the biological and formed using the method of group average chorological spectra of the flora listed. Therophytes (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic and hemicryptophytes make up 44 and 41% of the Mean, UPGMA) and chordal distance coefficient. The total species; 11% are geophytes and 3% are principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) was carried out. phanerophytes. The most common chorological Ellenberg’s (1979) ecological indices, adapted to type is the Cosmopolitan (32%) followed by Italian flora (Pignatti 2005), and Landolt’s (1977) Adventitious (15%) and Paleotemperate (11%).

Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 ecological indices, updated by Landolt et al. (2010), Most of the species (95%) are very widespread in were used to determine the ecological features of the the province of Piacenza, only four (Alopecurus vegetation relating the environmental factors. More rendlei, Malva alcea, Mentha arvensis and Onopordum specifically were used: luminous intensity (L), acanthium) are considered uncommon in this area temperature (T), continentality (C), soil moisture (U), soil reaction (R) and nutrient supply (N) indicator values according to Pignatti (2005), and soil humus (H), soil aeration (D), soil salinity (S) and heavy metals (M) indicator values according to Landolt et al. (2010). For each group of vegetation, the following were calculated: the average of the indicator values for each ecological factor weighted on the percentage of species coverage; diversity using the Shannon func- tion (Whittaker 1972); evenness according to Haüpler (1982); the mean number of species and therophytes/ hemicryptophytes (T/H) ratio. These data were used to carry out the principal component analysis (PCA). Combining the results of the data analysis and the direct observation, a vegetation map of the study area Figure 4. Chorological spectrum of flora list. 4 L. Giupponi et al.

Figure 5. Dendrogram of releve´s.

(Romani & Alessandrini 2001; Banfi et al. 2005; includes communities of mesophilous meadows Bracchi & Romani 2010; Giupponi et al. 2013). and pastures. The dendrogram (Figure 5) resulting from the . Bidentetea tripartitae Tu¨xen, Lohmeyer & Preis- cluster analysis shows five releve´ groups correspond- ing ex von Rochow, 1951, which includes ing to five different vegetation types. Table I shows meso-hydric communities occurring on the the releve´s arranged according to the dendrogram polluted river beds and emerging in summer sequence. The five groups show a considerable on sludges. floristic similarity, but differ physiognomically for the dominance of one or two species. The most frequent species are Cynodon dactylon, Convolvulus arvensis, Most of the species of identified vegetation Rumex crispus and Elymus repens. Cluster 1 includes clusters belong to the class Stellarietea mediae two releve´s that are characterized by Rumex crispus (Table I). There are few plants belonging to the and Bromus sterilis dominance; cluster 2 includes 40 Artemisietea vulgaris and Bidentetea tripartitae classes, releve´s that are dominated by Elymus repens. Cluster while several species belong to the Molinio–Arrhe- 3 includes three releve´s dominated by Chenopodium natheretea class, although their frequencies and covers album and Amaranthus retroflexus; this cluster also vary widely in the different groups. Cluster 2 is rich in presents a set of species which are exclusive of this species of the Stellarietea mediae class. Cluster 3 is the group (Abutilon teophrasti, Echinochloa crus-galli, only vegetation type with a good presence of Sonchus asper, Sonchus oleraceus, Xanthium orientale Bidentetea tripartitae annual plants. Clusters 1, 4 and subsp. italicum, Persicaria lapathifolia and Solanum 5 share low coverage values of Elymus repens and nigrum). Cluster 4 includes three releve´s dominated several Molinio–Arrhenatheretea species. Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 by Alopecurus rendlei and Bromus hordeaceus; cluster 5 The result of the PCoA (Figure 6) confirms the includes five releve´s characterized by a high Hordeum cluster analysis results showing a good separation ´ murinum coverage. Species of Table I are grouped in among the releve groups that could be due to different phytosociological classes. Species attributed different ecological factors. to each class are characteristic/differential of such Table II shows the parameters values (mean class or characteristic/differential of syntaxa included indicator values of each ecological factor, mean in such class. The considered classes are described as number of species, Shannon index, evenness and T/ follows: H ratio) calculated to five clusters. Figure 7 shows the PCA result considering the first component and . Stellarietea mediae Tu¨xen, Lohmeyer & Preising ex the second one. Figure 8 shows the PCA result von Rochow, 1951, which includes nitrophilous considering the first component and the third one. annual ruderal vegetation. The first three principal components explain ´ . Artemisietea vulgaris Lohmeyer, Preising & Tu¨xen 93.23% of the data variance. In Figure 7, the releve ex von Ronchow, 1951, which includes commu- groups are mainly separated according to the nities mainly consisting of perennial hemicrypto- number of species and the presence of species phyte grasses that grow on soils rich in tolerating salts and heavy metals in the soil (S and M nitrogenous substances in rural, agricultural and indicator values; axis 1) and according to the urbanized areas. prevalence of therophytes (values of T/H ratio) and . Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Tu¨ xen, 1937, which heliophilus plants (L indicator values; axis 2). In Figure 8, the releve´ groups are mainly separated Vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill 5

according to soil moisture (U indicator values; Discussion and conclusion axis 3). The results of the analyses conducted on the Figure 9 shows the distribution of the five groups vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill gave interest- of vegetation in the study area. The most extensive ing information about the environmental character- vegetation type is that of cluster 2 (which occupies a istics of the site. large part of the landfill), while the areas of the other The terophyte percentage (44%) of the Borgo- vegetations are decidedly smaller. trebbia landfill flora is significantly higher than those

Table I. Phytosociological table of releve´s arranged according to the sequence of the dendrogram. sporadic sp. sporadic

life form life n. cluster 2222222222222222222222222222222222222222555511444333 1 1 4 1 1 2 3 1 5 1 2 1 4 2 4 4 4 2 3 2 3 2 4 2 1 2 3 1 3 3 3 5 5 3 3 3 2 4 4 4 1 4 2 Pres. % n. relevé 459 78 1 263 1 4 6 0 3 1 8 2 2 6 8 7 7 7 8 2 1 4 0 5 3 2 0 9 5 6 1 8 9 4 2 0 1 5 6 7 3 3 5 4 9 9 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 n. of species 878776553356577 8 7 0 2 4 8 3 0 1 3 0 5 7 5 0 3 1 4 4 2 2 3 7 9 6 6 7 1 5 4 4 2 9 3 8 7 6

Stellarietea mediae Tüxen, Lohmeyer & Preising ex von Rochow 1951 G Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. 1211++1+++1+2121++.+....++.2++21211+11+1+2.1++1+++.185 T Bromus sterilis L. 2++++1+++1.+...... +2+...22+. .+12+.1211221++. .. 58 T Chenopodium album L. ..+..11...211++...... +..+..+11+.++++1...+1+1..+44352 T Polygonum aviculare L. ...++1...++...... +..112++++1..+112+++2+...44 T Hordeum murinum L. +.+..++++...... 1+...221+++.1..33421+1.1...44 T Avena fatua L...... +.+..1112++1.+.+1+...+.....27 T Ambrosia artemisiifolia L...... r...... +.....+.11+1.11+.33...... +2229 T Atriplex patula L. ....r++...... +...++.1...+...... 1.+19 T Amaranthus retroflexus L. ..r.r+r...+1+...... r.+.+...r..r2....r.1...33135 H Lactuca serriola L...... r...... +1+.rr++r...... 17 H Verbena officinalis L...... r...... +....r.....+.+2.r...... r.15 T Veronica persica Poir. ++++...... +..+...... ++.++++..+++...29 T Vicia sativa L. +.++++...... +...1+.+1...... +312+.++++...37 T Geranium dissectum L. +2+++..+...... ++...... 2211+++1+...33 T Stellaria media (L.) Vill. ++++++...... r...... 14.+..++++27 T Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.+++.+...... 3+.++++...19 T Lamium purpureum L. .++..+...... ++...... ++...... 13 Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) H ..+...... +...... +++...+...12 Medik. G Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop...... r...... +r1...... +1...... 12 H Mentha arvensis L...... 12...... 4 G Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers...... r...... +...... 4 T Cardamine hirsuta L...... r...... +...... +...... 6 T Torilis arvensis (Huds.) Link ...... ++...... 4 T Crepis setosa Haller f...... +r..+.r+....10 H Rumex pulcher L...... r...... +r...... r...+...... 10 T Crepis vesicaria L...... r...... r.... 4 T Matricaria chamomilla L...... +.+...... 4 G Aristolochia clematitis L...... r...... r...... 4 sTPapaver rhoeas L...... r...... 2 T Myosotis arvensis (L.) Hill ...... r...... r... 4 Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 G Lepidium draba L. r...... r....r...... 6 H Potentilla reptans L...... r...... r...r...... 6 T Sonchus asper (L.) Hill ...... 11+6 T Sonchus oleraceus L...... +2. 4 T Solanum nigrum L...... +.+4 sTPortulaca oleracea L...... r.. 2

Artemisietea vulgaris Lohmeyer, Preising & Tüxen ex von Ronchow 1951 G Elymus repens (L.) Gould 4455555555555555555555555455454345555442+++111++++13100 G Convolvulus arvensis L. ++21111+++1+211+2233+111+11112+++211++21++. .1+++++++96 T Artemisia vulgaris L. ...+...... r....+..+.1+1++...... +1++...... 25 T Galium aparine L...... +.+...... +++.+.+...... +...... 15 H Ballota nigra L...... r...... +...... +.+...... 8 H Verbascum thapsus L...... +r+.r...... 8 T Melilotus albus Medik...... r.+r...... 6 H Onopordum acanthium L...... +1...... 4 H Tanacetum vulgare L...... 11...... 4 H Malva alcea L...... rr...... 4 H Malva sylvestris L...... +.+..... 4 H Cichorium intybus L...... rr...... 4 T Lapsana communis L...... r.+...... 4 sHCirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten...... +...... 2 sHDipsacus fullonum L...... r...... 2

(Continued) 6 L. Giupponi et al.

Table I – (continued) sporadic sp. sporadic

Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Tüxen 1937 H Rumex crispus L. ++11+1++. +1++2 . . . . .+++++++2+1+31+++1++11++. 133+1 .+1+ 85 Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) P. H +r...+++.....+..+.+...1.+.1.+..r.+.....1++..r.+1...+40 Beauv. ex J. & C. Presl H Poa trivialis L. ..++++.+...... +++++++..+r..27 T Bromus hordeaceus L. 12+.+...+...... +...... +2+++.32+...27 T Alopecurus rendlei Eig 11...... +..+.234...13 T Geranium molle L. .++...... ++...... +++.++....17 H Lolium perenne L...... +.....+....++.... 8 H Plantago lanceolata L...... +.....+.+...+++..+.+.....15 H Trifolium repens L...... ++...... ++...... 8 T Medicago lupulina L. ..+...... 11...... 6 T Erigeron annuus (L.) Desf...... ++...... 4 H Trifolium fragiferum L...... r+...... 4 H Dactylis glomerata L...... +.++....+...... 1.r...... 12 H Salvia pratensis L...... r..r.... 4 sHPoa pratensis L...... +...... 2 sGOrnithogalum umbellatum L...... r.... 2 H Alopecurus pratensis L...... +r+.....r...... +...10 H Taraxacum officinale Weber ...... +...... r...... +... 6 H Trifolium pratense L. rr...... r...... 6 H Agrimonia eupatoria L...... +...... r...... 4

Bidentetea tripartitae Tüxen, Lohmeyer & Preising ex von Rochow 1951 Xanthium orientale L. subsp. T italicum (Moretti) Greuter ...... 1...... +11 8 Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) P. T Beauv...... +++ 6 T Abutilon theophrasti Medik...... +1r 6 Persicaria lapathifolia (L.) T Delarbre ...... ++. 4

other species H Ranunculus bulbosus L. .+...... r...rr..11++..+.+...19 - Cerastium spp. ++...... +...... ++++..+.+...17 H Medicago sativa L. r....r...+...... r...r...... r+...... r...15 H Hypericum perforatum L...... +r...... 4 - Valerianella spp...... r...... r...... 4 H Galium verum L...... +...... r...... 4 Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. G & Schult. ..r...... 1... 4 sHLythrum salicaria L...... r. 2 sHEuphorbia cyparissias L...... r...... 2 sPRobinia pseudoacacia L...... r...... 2 Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 s-Allium spp...... r...... 2 sPSalix alba L...... +...... 2 sPAmorpha fruticosa L...... r 2 Humulus japonicus Siebold & sT ...... r. 2 Zucc. Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) sG ...... +. 2 Palla

of the Piacenza province flora (28%) (Romani & that are typical of such environments. Indeed, in Alessandrini 2001) and the Emilia-Romagna flora central Europe, therophytes are mainly used as (28%) (Pignatti et al. 2001), but is lower than that of indicators of the environmental degradation due to the Mottola landfill flora (Southern Italy) (De Mei & an excessive urbanization (Sukopp & Werner 1983). Di Mauro 2006). In Italy, the frequency of Our study area is characterized by a short period of therophytes gradually increases from North to water deficit (in July) and a low level of human South in response to a decrease in precipitation and disturbance, in contrast with the therophyte percen- the establishment of a markedly arid climate tage observed. A similar percentage was recorded by (Pignatti 1976, 1994). More generally, the annual Celesti Grapow et al. (1996) and Capotorti et al. species are concentrated in urban areas because they (2013) for the Rome urban flora. In our area, the are better adapted to the arid and unstable conditions high therophyte level is probably related to the Vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landfill 7

Figure 7. PCA of the vegetation clusters using the ecological Figure 6. Ordination of releve´s (PCoA). The numbers of clusters variables (L, luminous intensity; T, temperature; C, continentality; are the same used for the dendrogram. U, soil moisture, R, soil reaction; N, nutrient supply, H, soil humus; D, soil aeration; S, soil salinity; M, heavy metals; T/H, chemical–physical characteristics of the landfill therophytes/hemicryptophytes ratio). Variance explained of the coverage soil. In general, various types of material first and second principal component: axis 1 ¼ 48.79%; axis ¼ such as gravel, pebbles, backfill, yard residue, etc. are 2 23.21%. used for the basic covering of landfill. As well as not being very fertile, these coarse materials have a little Elymus repens is a very common species in disturbed capacity to retain rainwater and therefore tend to dry habitats (Akbar et al. 2009). Centeri et al. (2009) very quickly, becoming inhospitable to plants during noted a decreasing in the coverage from very periods of less rainfall. In these conditions, annual disturbed to less disturbed environments. plants, which complete their life cycle in a short time The identified vegetation clusters seem to after the spring precipitations, are favoured. Fur- describe a single community, defined as Convolvolus thermore, the area is irregularly disturbed by the arvensis–Cynodon dactylon community, in which we mowing and the grazing. These disturbances also recognize two variants and three facies. The first favour annual plants. variant corresponds to the vegetation of cluster 3, The phytosociological analysis of the five veg- with the presence of several annual species of the etation types did not allow to classify them at the class Bidentetea tripartitae, while the second one association level, but only at higher syntaxonomical corresponds to cluster 4 with a good presence of levels. This problem is due to the fact that the Alopecurus rendlei. The remaining clusters show nitrophilous vegetations (Stellarietea mediae and different facies of the association; more specifically, Artemisietea vulgaris) obtain the most sintaxonomical cluster 1 represents the Rumex crispus facies, cluster 2 uncertainty because of the frequency of the the Elymus repens facies and cluster 5 the Hordeum

Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014 transgressive species (Ubaldi 2008). All the veg- murinum facies. The last plant community has etation types were classiﬁed into the Stellarietea characteristics very similar to the association Hordee- mediae class. The strong presence of Elymus repens in tum murini Libbert, 1932, described by Pajazitaj the study area may be due to the fact that this (2009) in Kosovo, from which it differs in the graminaceous plant can achieve competitive advan- absence of many species, particularly the Pontic tage over the other grasses in this environment. species.

Table II. Values of ecological parameters of the ﬁve types of vegetation (L, luminous intensity; T, temperature; C, continentality; U, soil moisture; R, soil reaction; N, nutrient supply; H, soil humus; D, soil aeration; S, soil salinity; M, heavy metals; T/H, therophytes/ hemicryptophytes ratio).

LTCURNHDS(%) M (%) Mean no. of species Shannon index Evenness T/H

Cluster 1 7.16 6.75 5.20 4.54 5.83 5.35 2.87 2.31 56.95 63.40 19 3.06 0.92 1.48 Cluster 2 7.22 6.70 5.73 4.57 5.74 5.87 2.46 2.40 62.98 69.96 11 3.02 0.74 1.53 Cluster 3 7.42 6.92 5.62 4.59 6.01 6.18 2.84 2.32 62.33 59.59 17 2.84 0.89 9.00 Cluster 4 7.28 6.51 5.08 4.99 6.10 5.25 2.96 2.38 44.37 49.67 14 3.20 0.92 3.00 Cluster 5 7.30 6.71 5.23 4.22 6.10 4.64 2.91 2.55 51.66 50.99 30 3.63 0.92 2.61 Average 7.28 6.72 5.37 4.58 5.96 5.46 2.81 2.39 55.66 58.72 18 3.15 0.88 3.52 ^SD 0.10 0.15 0.28 0.27 0.16 0.59 0.20 0.09 7.80 8.52 7.26 0.30 0.08 3.13 8 L. Giupponi et al.

there are some species with the temperature requirements of Mediterranean environments, such as Abutilon theophrasti, Amaranthus retroflexus and Crepis setosa. As regards the characteristics of the substrate of the landfill, the vegetation as a whole indicates a moderately basic, semi-dry soil, rich in nutrients, low in humus and badly aerated. These features are in accordance with those of soil favourable to nitrophilous and ruderal vegetations of Stellarietea mediae. The most abundant nitrophilous species are represented by Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album and Elymus repens, followed by Rumex pulcher, Ballota nigra, Onopordum acanthium and Echinochloa crusgalli, which, however, Figure 8. PCA of the vegetation clusters using the ecological are less and less abundant. Amaranthus retroflexus and variables (L, luminous intensity; T, temperature; C, continentality; Chenopodium album are typical ruderal weeds (Grime U, soil moisture; R, soil reaction; N, nutrient supply; H, soil 2001) which tend to become dominant in these humus; D, soil aeration; S, soil salinity; M, heavy metals; T/H, environments because of the allelopathic effects therophytes/hemicryptophytes ratio). Variance explained of the first and third principal component: axis 1 ¼ 48.79%; axis exerted on other species (Liu & Ma 2009) and the 3 ¼ 21.23%. high seeding, respectively. The values for the S (salt tolerant species) and M The use of Ellenberg’s and Landolt’s indices (heavy metal tolerant species) parameters indicate allowed us to reach further understanding of the the presence of a high percentage of species that are main ecological characteristics of the vegetation of able to tolerate soils with accumulation of salts and the landfill. The mean of indicator values of the heavy metals. This finding may indicate a real climate parameters (L, T and C) describes a concentration of salts and heavy metals in the soil vegetation of a temperate climate and of stations (Landolt et al. 2010). generally having full light, typical of normal The ecological analysis of vegetation expressed by conditions in the area of the Po valley, even though five clusters also allowed us to gain understanding of Downloaded by [Luca Giupponi] at 08:01 11 August 2014

Figure 9. Vegetation map of study area. Legend with the correspondence between the number and the vegetation type which represents using the name of the community and the name of the variant and facies (1, vegetation of cluster 1; 2, vegetation of cluster 2; 3, vegetation of cluster 3; 4, vegetation of cluster 4; 5, vegetation of cluster 5). Vegetation of the Borgotrebbia landﬁll 9

the factors which distinguish them. Cluster 3 is Akbar KF, Hale WHG, Headley ADD. 2009. Floristic compo- characterized by having more heliophilous and sition and environmental determinants of roadside vegetation thermophilous species than the others, as well as a in north England. Polish J Ecol 57: 73–88. Ali M, Ahmad T, Rashid A. 2004. Phytosociological synthesis as higher percentage of therophytes than hemicrypto- inferred from soil analysis of some industrial areas of the phytes (T/H ratio). Vegetations of groupings 4 and 5 Punjab. Asian J Sci 3: 320–324. show high values in terms of biodiversity and Banfi E, Bracchi G, Galasso G, Romani E. 2005. Agrostologia evenness, but differ in the need of soil moisture. Placentina. Memorie della Societa` Italiana di Scienze Naturali Cluster 4 represents a phytocoenosis of a wetter e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano XXXIII(II): 1–80. environment as compared with the other groups, in Biondi E. 2011. Phytosociology today: Methodological and particular with cluster 5 which, on the contrary, has a conceptual evolution. Plant Biosyst 145(Suppl. 1): 19–29. dry environment coenosis, demanding well-aerated Biondi E, Allegrezza M, Casavecchia S, Galdenzi D, Gigante D, soils. The vegetation of cluster 2 differs from the Pesaresi S. 2013. Validation of some syntaxa of Italian others especially in the poverty of species and in the vegetation. Plant Biosyst 147(1): 186–207. Blasi C, Frondoni R. 2011. Modern prospective for plant high presence of plants that are tolerant of heavy sociology: The case of ecological land classification and the metals and salts in the soil. Similar characteristics ecoregions of Italy. Plant Biosyst 145(Suppl. 1): 30–37. were observed by Ali et al. (2004) analysing the Bracchi G, Romani E. 2010. Checklist aggiornata e commentata herbaceous communities in polluted and unpolluted della flora della Provincia di Piacenza. 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